栲属(壳斗科)植物的现代和地史分布

根据文献资料和标本馆及化石记录,讨论了壳斗科栲属植物的现代分布和地史分布。现代栲属植物有110～134种,主要分布在东亚及东南亚,其中印度支那地区有82种栲属植物,是世界栲属植物分布最集中的地区,马来西亚地区是栲属特有种最丰富的事实是支持马来西亚地区与其它地区的区系交流十分有限的论据。中国栲属植物最丰富的地区是滇黔桂地区（29种）。栲属植物现代多样化中心在马来西亚和中南半岛。排除Chrysolepis后,栲属的分布类型应属热带亚洲分布。栲属在地质历史上有着比现在广泛的分布,最早、最可靠的栲属化石记录发现于北美始新世地层,欧洲和日本始新世也有栲属的化石记录,化石记录表明栲属起源的时间不晚于古新世,所有的壳斗科及栲属的化石都发现于北半球,现代分布也主要在北半球,壳斗科及栲属起源于北半球可以确认,由于化石证据与现代植物学的研究结果有较大差异以及关键地区化石证据的不足,具体的起源地尚不能肯定。     

杉科植物的起源、演化及其分布

本文根据对杉科的系统发育、现代分布和化石分布的研究,结合古地理和古气候资料,讨论了杉科的起源、演化和现代分布格局的成因。杉科基本上是一个亚热带科,我国长江、秦岭以南至华南一带是其现代分布中心。东亚中高纬度的东北地区可能是其起源中心和早期分化中心。起源时间为早侏罗纪或晚三叠纪。杉科植物的各种类型很可能在早白垩纪甚至晚侏罗纪就已分化出来。杉科植物于东亚起源后,在当时劳亚古陆尚未完全解体、气候分带现象尚不甚明显的情况下跨越欧亚大陆散布到北美,并扩散到南半球。自晚白垩纪,白令陆桥和北大西洋陆桥对其在北半球的散布发挥了重要作用。杉科植物目前虽处于衰退状态,但在地质史上却曾经经历过极其繁盛的时代。在中生代中晚期和早第三纪,杉科植物种类繁多,广布于北半球,向北扩散到北极圈内的高纬度地区,是当时的大科。大多数现存属曾分别有过3个或2个分布中心：水松属、落羽杉属和北美红杉属在东亚、北美西部和欧洲;水杉属在东亚和北美西部;柳杉属、杉木属,很可能也包括台湾杉属在东亚和欧洲;巨杉属在欧洲、北美和东亚。在晚白垩纪和第三纪,现存属特别是水松属、落羽杉属、水杉属、北美红杉属和巨杉属,曾是北半球森林植被的重要组成成分。南半球也曾有少量种类,分布亦远较现代普遍。杉科在白垩纪的多样性达到鼎盛,具所有的现代属和大量的化石器官属,但在以后漫长的历史发展过程中,由于地质变迁、气候变化,大量类群绝灭。晚第三纪全球性的气温下降迫使杉科逐渐从高纬度地区撤出。第四纪冰期气候的剧烈恶化使杉科分布区进一步显著退缩至中、低纬度地区,最后在欧洲全部消失,仅在东亚、北美及澳大利亚的少数几个植物 “避难所”中残存下来。现今各属多分布于环太平洋地区极为狭窄的局部范围,在分布区内呈现出孤立或星散的残遗分布式样。杉科现存各属均为古老的孑遗或残遗类群。     

气候变化背景下中国冷杉属植物地理分布模拟分析

中国是世界上冷杉属（Abies Mill.）植物种类最为丰富、分布地域最广的国家,也是研究冷杉属植物分布成因与规律的关键地区。本文通过中国数字植物标本馆、全球生物多样性信息数据库和相关文献三种途径收集我国冷杉属植物的地理分布数据,结合当前和未来气候情景,应用最大熵模型（MaxEnt）模拟冷杉属植物的潜在分布,并使用GIS的空间分析功能做生境适宜性分析,评估我国各地区对冷杉属植物的保护能力。结果显示：（1）四川西南部、云南北部、西藏自治区东南部是我国冷杉属植物分布的热点地区;（2）在未来气候变化情景下,我国冷杉属植物的适宜生境面积将明显减少;（3）适宜生境在未来有向北迁移的趋势;（4）就各地区保护能力而言,在当前气候情景下,云南省的保护能力最高,在未来,我国西部地区的保护能力呈上升趋势,中部和东部地区呈下降趋势。本研究可为冷杉属植物的保护工作提供一定的理论依据和参考价值。     

树锦鸡儿的分布式样及其生态适应

树锦鸡儿为典型的中生植物,既是锦鸡儿属的模式种,又是该属植物的原始种。本文认为树锦鸡儿的分布式样为西西伯利亚东南部（阿尔泰—萨彦）—东亚北部（华北—东北—远东）间断分布种。在西西伯利亚东南部地区,本种为寒温型常绿针叶林西伯利亚落叶松和西伯利亚冷杉林下及林缘的伴生种,在东亚北部地区本种为中温型和暖温型夏绿阔叶林蒙古栎和辽东栎林下及林缘灌丛的伴生种。     

粉条儿菜属(肺筋草科)的地理分布及其物种多样性和分化中心

粉条儿菜属(AletrisL.)隶属于肺筋草科,全世界有23种1变种,东亚有18种1变种,北美东南部有5种,为典型的东亚-北美间断分布的属.本文在种(变种)的水平上,研究了粉条儿菜属的地理分布及其分布中心和多样化中心,并对其起源和分化以及现代洲际间断分布格局的成因进行了分析.结果表明,(1)中国共分布有粉条儿菜属植物15种1变种,而广义的横断山地区集中分布有13种1变种,是东亚粉条儿菜属植物分布最为集中的地区,而且包含该属植物各个进化阶段的代表.因此,广义的横断山地区是粉条儿菜属在东亚的分布中心和多样化中心.(2)根据粉条儿菜属及其近缘属的分布格局推测,该属可能在不晚于第三纪早期,起源于古北大陆.东亚和北美的粉条儿菜属植物形态区别明显,应该是隔离分化的结果.(3)该属植物可能曾经广布于北半球,后来地质、气候以及冰川等因素的变化,导致该属在一些地区灭绝,而仅存于东亚和北美东南部.(4)尽管横断山及其周边地区是东亚粉条儿菜属的多样化中心,但该地区很可能并不是粉条儿菜属最早的分化中心,因横断山地区周边的一些特有种可能是在晚近的时期形成的新特有种;另外,东亚粉条儿菜属一些原始的种类主要分布于我国中东部到日本一带.所以,中国中东部到日本一带可能是粉条儿菜属早期的分化中心.     

中国冷杉属的保护植物

冷杉属是松科中的第二大属,全世界约有５０种,主要分布于北半球的高海拔或高纬度地区。在我国西南和东北,冷杉植物常与云杉伴生,是组成寒温性暗针叶林和亚高山暗针叶林的建群树种。尤其是在我国的西南高山地区（海拔３０００米以上）,云、冷杉林是长江上游主要的水土保护林。但在我国的东南部却很难见到云、冷杉的踪迹。以往,人们只知道在我国台湾岛的高海拔山地有冷杉属树种———台湾冷杉分布。但自从１９７６年吴鸣翔先生依据他在浙江庆元百山祖海拔约１７００米处采到的植物标本,发表冷杉属新种百山祖冷杉（Ａｂｉｅｓｂｅｓｈａ…     

九连山自然保护区兰科植物资源分布及其特点

九连山自然保护区是江西兰科植物集中分布的地区之一。据调查,保护区有30属63种,以地生兰占优势,有20属（45种）;附生兰9属（15种）;腐生兰2属（3种）。其中单种属16个,占九连山兰科植物总属数的53.3%。与邻近地区相比,九连山自然保护区兰科植物与广东南岭自然保护区共有属最多（24属）,与甘肃麦积山共有属最少（11属）。九连山自然保护区兰科植物属的地理成分可划分为9个分布型和2个变型,种的分布以温带分布为主体,以东亚分布为核心,占总种数的38.1%。     

杨亚科植物的分类与分布

杨亚科（Populoideae）植物自然分布于热带非洲和大约从北纬19°～70°度的北半球,由胡杨属（Balsamiflua）和杨属（Populus）2个属所组成。胡杨属间断分布于赤道非洲、古地中海地区和墨西哥,包含2个组（胡杨组、墨杨组）和约3个天然种。杨属分布于欧洲、亚洲、非洲（北缘）和北美洲的广大地区,包含大叶杨亚属（Subgen．Leucoides）（大叶杨组）、杨亚属（Subgen．Populus）（青杨组、黑杨组、杨组）2个亚属和约52个天然种。拟定了杨亚科属的检索表、胡杨属组和种的检索表、杨属亚属和组的检索表以及杨属中各组种的检索表。提供了一个杨树种类目录,包括它们的正名、异名、文献引注和地理分布等。     

豆科锦鸡儿属(Caragana Fabr.)植物地理分布与分化研究

豆科锦鸡儿属约80种,可以明确地分为6组14系。编绘了79个种的分布图,在此基础上,描述了每个种的分布范围和生存生境,以系和组为单位探讨了锦鸡儿属植物各类群的分布规律,并进一步研究了种类形成和演化过程。Sect. Caragana为东亚--蒙古高原分布型,其Ser. Caraganae的种类在东亚地区随纬度的变化呈现出明显的地理替代分布规律, Ser. Microphyllae在蒙古高原地区随经度的干旱梯度变化呈现出清晰的种类替代关系,本组各系间也有明显的地理替代分布现象。Sect. Prunosa为东亚--中亚间断分布型。Sect. Longispina为喜马拉雅分布型。Sect. Tragacan thoides为环青藏高原--北极高山分布型。Sect. Frutescentes广泛分布于亚洲干旱地区。Sect. Chamlagu为东亚分布型。本属种类可分为6个分布型,分布型之间的关系揭示了亚洲干旱区植物区系形成的渊源和联系。Sect. Caragana为本属的原始类群,起源于东亚,曾广泛分布于亚洲大陆,随青藏高原的隆起,原始类群就地分化形成不同的类群,在此基础上迁移分化适应,形成了现代多样的分布格局,中亚为本属的分化中心。     

中国种子植物属的地理成分分布格局及其与气候和地理的关系

基于覆盖了全中国各地理区的204个地区植物区系研究资料和这些地区的841个气象站资料,我们对中国种子植物属的地理成分分布格局及其与气候、经纬度分布的关系进行了研究,并结合这些分布格局探讨了中国植被分带和植物区系分区。结果如下：（1）除世界分布、栽培和入侵成分外,大部分中国种子植物属的地理成分的分布与地理相关密切;（2）热带分布属（泛热带分布、热带亚洲至热带美洲间断分布、旧世界热带分布、热带亚洲至热带大洋洲分布、热带亚洲至热带非洲分布及热带亚洲分布合计）占各地方植物区系的0．84％到94．38％,其最低值出现在中国西北部的新疆和青海地区,最高值出现在中国云南南部和海南;（3）热带分布属在〈北纬30°的地区占优势,除热带亚洲至热带美洲间断分布外,其它热带成分随纬度增加迅速减少;（4）温带分布属（北温带分布、东亚和北美间断分布、旧世界温带分布、温带亚洲分布、地中海区、西亚到中亚分布、中亚分布和东亚分布合计）占各地方植物区系的5．1％至98．83％,其最高值出现在中国西北部的新疆地区,最低值出现在中国云南南部和海南;（5）除东亚和北美间断分布、东亚分布和中国特有分布外,其它温带成分随纬度增加迅速增加;（6）在温带成分中,东亚和北美间断分布及东亚分布属主要出现在中国亚热带到暖温带地区,北温带分布、旧世界温带分布和温带亚洲分布属在中国北部占优势,而地中海区、西亚到中亚分布和中亚分布属则在中国西北部占优势;（7）除世界分布、东亚和北美间断分布、东亚分布和中国特有分布外,所有其他成分都显示了与气候因素（主要是气温和降雨量）密切相关,其中,北温带分布属与年均温和年降雨量最为密切相关。中国种子植物属的地理成分的分布格局与现行的中国植被分带和植物区系分区密切匹配。支持现行的中国植被分带和植物区系分区方案。     

Fossil History and Modern Distribution of the Genus Abies (Pinaceae)

The plants of the genus Abies are dominant and key species in dark conifer forest in the Northern Hemisphere. There are 52 species, 1 subspecies and 12 varities of genus Abies in the world. The history and modern distribution ofAbies were discussed at present paper. The genus has 3 modern distributional centers: South Europe, North America and East Asia. These areas are also rich in fossil records. The vertical distribution regions of Abies are from sea level to 4 700m, concentrated in 1 000 - 2 000 m (15 species ) and 2 500 - 4 000 m ( 13 species ). In China, the genus distributes in 20 provinces, especially abundant in the Hengduan Mountians. Meanwhile endemic and relic phenomea are obvious in this genus. There are 7 relical species with both limited individuals and limited distributed regions. Based on the fossil records and the newest phylogenetic data, the following hypothesis was proposed: Abies originated from the mid- and high altitude of the Northern Hemisphere in the Middle Cretaceous and it was dispersed forward to the south area in the Eocene due to global climate cooler down. The distribution of Abies was deeply impacted by geological events such as upleft of Himalaya, Alps, Rocky Mountains, the occurrence of Aisan Monsoon as well as Quaternary glaciers. Finally the currentdistribution pattern appeared at the Quaternary. The genus Abies has similar fossil history and modern distribution pattern with Cathaya and Pseudolarix.     

Exploring the Formation of a Disjunctive Pattern between Eastern Asia and North America Based on Fossil Evidence from Thuja (Cupressaceae)

Thuja, a genus of Cupressaceae comprising five extant species, presently occurs in both East Asia (3 species) and North America (2 species) and has a long fossil record from Paleocene to Pleistocene in the Northern Hemisphere. Two distinct hypotheses have been proposed to account for the origin and present distribution of this genus. Here we recognize and describe T. sutchuenensis Franch., a new fossil Thuja from the late Pliocene sediments of Zhangcun, Shanxi, North China, based on detailed comparisons with all living species and other fossil ones, integrate the global fossil records of this genus plotted in a set of paleomaps from different time intervals, which show that Thuja probably first appeared at high latitudes of North America in or before the Paleocene. This genus reached Greenland in the Paleocene, then arrived in eastern Asia in the Miocene via the land connection between East Asia and western North America. In the late Pliocene, it migrated into the interior of China. With the Quaternary cooling and drying, Thuja gradually retreated southwards to form today’s disjunctive distribution between East Asia and North America.     

Northern Hemisphere megafossil of Dacrycarpus (Podocarpaceae) from the Miocene of South China and its evolutionary and paleoecological implications

The modern genus Dacrycarpus (Endl.) de Laub. of the family Podocarpaceae, containing nine species, is mainly distributed in tropical mountain rainforests of the southwestern Pacific region, ranging from New Zealand to low‐latitude Asia. This genus has abundant fossil records in both hemispheres, but all the known megafossils were limited to Australasia and South America. Here we report on Dacrycarpus guipingensis sp. nov. from the Miocene Erzitang Formation of Guangxi, South China. This is the first megafossil of Dacrycarpus in the Northern Hemisphere. The new species is represented by mummified dimorphic foliage, ovuliferous shoots, and a male cone with in situ pollen. It resembles the extant Dacrycarpus imbricatus (Blume) de Laub., which is common in rainforests from southern China and northern Myanmar to Fiji. This paper presents the first data on the anatomical structure of seed cone and exine ultrastructure of Dacrycarpus in situ pollen grains from a fossil material by using computed tomography scanning and ultrathin sectioning. For comparative purpose, data on the pollen morphology and ultrastructure were obtained for modern D. imbricatus for the first time. The D. guipingensis fossils strongly suggest the Miocene arrival of Dacrycarpus in Asia from the Southern Hemisphere. Based on the modern ecological niche and related fossil elements, this fossil locality was probably covered by conifer–broad‐leaved mountain rainforests during the Miocene.     

淫羊藿属(小檗科)花瓣的演化和地理分布格局的研究

淫羊藿属的种数与60年前大不相同,现在已知约有50种。该属种类间断地分布于日本至北非 的阿尔及利亚之间的广大地区,这一分布格局表明了该属的古老性质。它们在欧亚大陆的分布极不均 匀,约有80％的种类产于中国中部至东南部,而且根据花瓣的演化分析结果表明,只有中国的淫羊藿属 植物具有连续不断的演化过程。由此可见,中国中部至东南部成为北半球淫羊藿属植物的汇集中心是 有充分根据的。淫羊藿属种类基本上是林地草本植物,常生于水青冈林下,为林下草本层的优势种,而 且该属的分布格局与第三纪植物属——水青冈属在欧亚大陆的分布格局极为相似,说明淫羊藿属植物 在早第三纪时期已广泛分布于北半球。中新世时期由于中亚地区气候变干,加之印度板块向欧亚大陆 俯冲并引起喜马拉雅山脉隆起,致使中亚地区进一步干旱,水青冈属和淫羊霍属植物随之消失,进而导致其东亚—地中海、西亚间断分布格局的形成。     

On the geographical distribution of the Juglandaceae

The present paper aims to discuss the geog raphical distribution of the Juglandaceae on the basis of unity of the phylogeny and the process of dispersal in the plants. The paper is divided into the following three parts: 1. The systematic positions and the distribution patterns of nine living genera in the family Juglandaceae (namely, Engelhardia, Oreomunnea, Alfaroa, Pterocarya, Cyclocarya, Juglans, Carya, Annamocarya and Platycarya) are briefly discussed. The evolutional relationships between the different genera of the Juglandaceae are elucidated. The fossil distribution and the geological date of the plant groups are reviewed. Through the analysis for the geographical distribution of the Juglandaceous genera, the distribution patterns may be divided as follows: A. The tropical distribution pattern a. The genera of tropical Asia distribution: Engelhardia, Annamocarya. b. The genera of tropical Central America distribution: Oreomunnea, Alfaroa. B. The temperate distribution pattern c. The genus of disjunct distribution between Western Asia and Eastern Asia: Pterocarya. d. The genus of disjunct distribution between Eurasia and America: Juglans. e. The genus of disjunct distribution between Eastern Asia and North America: Carya. f. The genera whose distribution is confined to Eastern Asia: Cyclocarya, Platycarya. 2. The distribution of species According to Takhtajan’s view point of phytochoria, the number of species in every region are counted. It has shown clearily that the Eastern Asian Region and the Cotinental South-east Asian Region are most abundant in number of genera and species. Of the 71 living species, 53 are regional endemic elements, namely 74.6% of the total species. The author is of the opinion that most endemic species in Eurasia are of old endemic nature and in America of new endimic nature. There are now 7 genera and 28 species in China, whose south-western and central parts are most abundant in species, with Province Yunnan being richest in genera and species. 3. Discussions of the distribution patterns of the Juglandaceae A. The centre of floristic region B. The centre of floristic regions is determined by the following two principles: a. A large number of species concentrate in a district, namely the centre of the majority; b. Species of a district can reflect the main stages of the systematic evolution of the Juglandaceae, namely the centre of diversity. It has shown clearly that the southern part of Eastern Asian region and the northern part of Continental South-east Asian Region (i.c. Southern China and Northern Indo-China) are the main distribution centre of the Juglandaceae, while the southern part of Sonora Region and Caribbean Region (i.c. South-western U.S.A., Mexico and Central America) are the secondary distribution centre. As far as fossil records goes, it has shown that in Tertiary period the Juglandaceae were widely distributed in northern Eurasia and North America, growing not only in Europe and the Caucasus but also as far as in Greenland and Alaska. It may be considered that the Juglandaceae might be originated from Laurasia. According to the analysis of distribution pattern for living primitive genus, for example, Engelhardia, South-western China and Northern Indo-China may be the birthplace of the most primitive Juglandaceous plants. It also can be seen that the primitive genera and the primitive sections of every genus in the Juglandaceae have mostly distributed in the tropics or subtropics. At the same time, according to the analysis of morphological characters, such as naked buds in the primitive taxa of this family, it is considered that this character has relationship with the living conditions of their ancestors. All the evidence seems to show that the Juglandaceae are of forest origin in the tropical mountains having seasonal drying period. B. The time of the origin The geological times of fossil records are analyzed. It is concluded that the origin of the Juglandaceae dates back at least as early as the Cretaceous period. C. The routes of despersal After the emergence of the Juglandaceous plant on earth, it had first developed and dispersed in Southern China and Indo-China. Under conditions of the stable temperature and humidity in North Hemisphere during the period of its origin and development, the Juglandaceous plants had rapidly developed and distributed in Eurasia and dispersed to North America by two routes: Europe-Greenland-North America route and Asia-Bering Land-bridge-North America route. From Central America it later reached South America. D. The formaation of the modern distribution pattern and reasons for this formation. According to the fossil records, the formation of two disjunct areas was not due to the origin of synchronous development, nor to the parallel evolution in the two continents of Eurasia and America, nor can it be interpreted as due to result of transmissive function. The modern distribution pattern has developed as a result of the tectonic movement and of the climatic change after the Tertiary period. Because of the continental drift, the Eurasian Continent was separated from the North American Continent, it had formed a disjunction between Eurasia and North America. Especially, under the glaciation during the Late Tertiary and Quaternary Periods, the continents in Eurasia and North America were covered by ice sheet with the exception of “plant refuges”, most plants in the area were destroyed, but the southern part of Eastern Asia remained practically intact and most of the plants including the Juglandaceae were preserved from destruction by ice and thence became a main centre of survival in the North Hemisphere, likewise, there is another centre of survival in the same latitude in North America and Central America. E. Finally, the probable evolutionary relationships of the genera of the Juglanda-ceae is presented by the dendrogram in the text.     

Petal evolution and distribution patterns of Epimedium Linn. (Berberidaceae)

The genus Epimedium as known at present comprises 50 species, in contrast to the 21 species recognized by Stearn in 1938. Its wide and fragmented range from Japan westward to Algeria indicates its antiquity. The species of the genus Epimedium are far from being evenly distributed over Eurasian land. Approximately 80% species of the total species of the genus are now represent ed in the central-southeastern China. This must be considered as a very high concentration of the number of species for a genus in a relatively not very large area like that of the central-southeastern China. On the other hand, an analysis of the petal evolution seems to indicate that the genus Epi medium has enjoyed uninterrupted evolution only in China. From the above facts, we can see clearly that the central-southeastern China has the credit of being a center of concentration for the species of Epimedium in the North Hemisphere. Epimedium occupies two widely separated regions, in East Asia and the Mediterranean regions; within each region there are extensive areas from which the ge nus is entirely absent. Despite the wide and discontinuous distribution outlined above, the ecological requirements of the species appear to be much alike. Essentially woodland herbs, the Epimedium plants often grow in the shade of Fagus forest as dominant species of herb layer in East Asia and the Mediterranean land, and its distribution pattern is very similar to that of Fagus in Eurasian land. It is significant that the distribution pattern of Epimedium coincides in many respects with the modern distribution pattern of the Tertiary genus Fagus. It is reasonable, despite the lack of fossil evidence, to suppose that Epimedium had acquired its wide dispersion in the North Hemisphere during the Paleogene if not before the collision of India with the Eurasia plate and the subsequent uplift of the Himalayas increased aridity in Central Asia. This led to its further disjunction.     

金粟兰科的起源,演化及其分布

本文利用形态解剖,孢粉学及化石资料,讨论了金粟兰科的系统;并对其起源,演化和现代分布格局形成等问题做了合理推测,主要结果如下：（１）Ｓａｒｃａｎｄｒａ和Ｃｈｌｏｒａｎｔｈｕｓ的亲缘关系最接近,而Ａｓｃａｒｉｎａ和Ｈｅｄｙｏｓｍｕｍ的系统位置最靠近。Ｓａｒｃａｎｄｒａ是金粟兰科中最原始的属,而Ｈｅｄｙｏｓｍｕｍ则是最进化的属。（２）金粟兰科可能于白垩纪最早期起源于木质部无导管的,具简单两性虫媒花的祖     

Evolutionary trends in leaf morphology and biogeography of Altingiaceae based on fossil evidence

The extant woody family Altingiaceae, consisting of only one genus Liquidambar L. with ca. 15 species, demonstrates a typical disjunctive distribution among East Asia, North America, and the Mediterranean. However, the fossil record throughout the Cenozoic indicates that Altingiaceae was once widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. After studying the abundant Altingiaceae fossil leaf collections, we revised the easily-confused fossil leaves and corrected the misidentifications. Consequently, we proposed an evolutionary history of Altingiaceae leaf morphology in consulting the modern leaf characteristics. It is revealed that the trilobated leaf morphology is the ancestral character state, whereas both the pentalobated and the undivided, pinnate-veined lineages evolved separately. The latter diverged from the trilobated ancestor in South China in Eocene. The lobed and undivided lineages represent the deciduous and evergreen, respectively. An extensive fossil database of Altingiaceae was built to reconstruct its biogeographical history. We reconfirmed that Altingiaceae developed into a temperate and a subtropical-tropical patterns and migrated across both the Bering and North Atlantic land bridges since Cretaceous, independently. It was widespread in the early Neogene of North America and Eurasia, and became extinct in the high latitude triggered by the global cooling and aridification. The modern disjunctive distribution was finally formed, with southeast Asia as its modern diversity center. This study provides new fossil evidence for understanding the morphology and biogeography of the family Altingiaceae.     

A unique record of Cercis from the late early Miocene of interior Asia and its significance for paleoenvironments and paleophytogeography

The climatic impacts of the Tibetan Plateau since the Neogene and the phytogeographic pattern changes of formerly widely-distributed forest communities on the plateau remain poorly constrained. Today, Cercis L. (Fabaceae) is a well-known arborescent genus typically distributed in subtropical to warm temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, and Paleogene fossil occurrences from Eurasia and North America show a long history of the genus in mid-low latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Here, we describe a fossil species, Cercis zekuensis sp. nov. based on well-preserved fruits from the early Miocene of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Detailed morphological comparison (e.g., ventral margin with a veinless wing) of extant and fossil members of Cercis and other genera confirmed validity of the present taxonomic identity. Based on the comparison with extant relatives and their climate preferences, this unexpected occurrence of thermophilic Cercis in northeastern Tibetan Plateau indicates this area had higher temperature and precipitation in the Miocene than today. Integrated with inferred (paleo-)temperature lapse rates, this indicates a low paleoelevation of less than 2.4 km. In contrast with the present-day alpine climate here (~3.7 km), such a low elevation facilitated a more favorable habitat with comparatively high biodiversity and warm temperate forests at that time, as were evidenced by co-occurring megafossils. Moreover, the present existence of Cercis implies the genus was widespread in interior Asia during the early Neogene and shows its modern disjunction or diversification between eastern and central Asia was possibly shaped by the late Cenozoic regional tectonic uplift and consequential environmental deterioration.